The Pennsylvania State Senate on Wednesday approved legislation today that would improve sportsmen safety by preventing dangerous offenders from obtaining a fishing or hunting license in Pennsylvania, according to the bill’s sponsor Sen. Richard Alloway II (R-33).

Senate Bill 1200 would enable Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, a multi-state effort to ensure that habitual offenders in one state will not be able to commit violations in other states. The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact Act would enable Pennsylvania to recognize the revocation of an individual’s hunting, fishing or trapping privileges due to a violation of regulations in any other member’s state.

“Safety is the most important issue for our Commonwealth’s sportsmen, and this legislation will help us to ensure that violators from other states will not be able to endanger others,” Alloway said. “This legislation is vital for the state to properly manage our wildlife and aquatic resources, and I am hopeful that it will receive prompt consideration in the House of Representatives.”

The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact was created in 1989 and currently includes 33 states, including Pennsylvania’s neighboring states of New York, Ohio and West Virginia.

Senate Bill 1200 now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.